Health Information

Bone Marrow Aspiration

Bone marrow aspiration is the removal of a small amount of the
liquid portion of the bone marrow through a needle inserted into the bone. It
can be done to collect bone marrow for stem cell transplantation or chromosomal
analysis, or to monitor treatment for certain types of blood disorders.

The bone marrow sample is examined under a microscope to obtain
information to:

Help diagnose and monitor conditions that affect the bone
marrow, such as lymphoma and leukemia.

Help determine the cause of
abnormal blood tests.

Measure the amount of iron or other
substances that blood cells need for growth.

More tests of the bone marrow sample can also be done to see
if an infection is present and to identify antibiotics that might be used to
treat the infection.

A bone marrow biopsy is the removal of bone
marrow tissue and is often done with a bone marrow aspiration. A biopsy allows
close examination of the bone marrow's structure.

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